Brighter Death Now - Innerwar (CD, Cold Meat Industries): Fuck, good thing I finally listened to this album and got it. I've know BDN for over 10 years now... Why didn't I listen to this earlier? Because at that time I totally wasn't into Noise/Power Electronics/... (mostly listened to CMI for Arcana/Ordo Rosarius Equilibrio/...) And then I went to the 2 CMI fests in Belgium (Antwerp & Gent) and I just didn't get it: the combination of the noise/music and the crazy show with drunk guys in their underpants playing with balloons... So yeah, took me a couple of years to fully understand that BDN is a classic in its genre and I needed to listen to it! When I first played the CD the last two tracks skipped and I saw that there was a hazy layer on the CD (weird, since it came shrinkwrapped), rubbed it off and then it played fine...
Alfarmania - From Fix To Fix (CD, Old Captain Records): I've got the Bottenskrapet LP but it's been a couple of years since I last played it, thought it was good, though not great. Reading the interview with Kristian Olsson in Noise Recepter #3 (really interesting zine btw) and the reviews, made me check some tracks from this CD. Also since the review says it's still closer to Survival Unit, which I like pretty much (though I should get some more of their albums). I really like the more Industrial-like tracks, but some of the more subdued tracks seem to suit me a bit less. Will have to play it a couple times more, since it's got a nice overall atmosphere, also thanks to the samples.
Tips on which is some of the best Alfarmania stuff to check out are welcome.
Kevlar - Totalism (tape, Unrest Productions): Appendix to Criteria. Seems better than Criteria though! Seems like Criteria was good, but both Alpha Strife and Totalism are very good.
Taint - Indecent Liberties (CD, Industrial Heritage): Not as familiar with Taint as with Mania, but I think it's quite clear that it's the same guy, due to vocals and the typical kind of feedback that he uses. Short but strong album.
Nyrkki/Unpeace (C40, double A side, Filth & Violence): First opens with a noise track that is a collaboration by both bands/projects, pretty cool. Then follows Nyrkki, then Unpeace. Both cool noisecore. Seems like Unpeace sounds a bit different then before? Other vocalist maybe? Vile layout as was expected.
Machismo - Bodies in Perfection (C20, TeRRoR): Not bad at all, but somehow it doesn't seem to click with me...
Vidinė Ramybė – Aukštas Aukštesnis Aukščiausias (tape, TeRRoR): Varied album, some tracks are more ambient, others death industrial, some more power electronics. I really like the track (can't remember which one it is at the moment) where there is melancholic piano and then the screamed vocals, gives a really strong hopeless vibe. Overall good album, with one or two which are less interesting.
Various Artists - Acts Of Vengeance - UFoI II (C88, Unrest Productions): Really great comp with all exclusive stuff as far as I know. Nothing more needs to be added.
